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Hayley gave her name, her breath catching on another sob. Rick’s nurse came right out from a door behind the desk. “I’m so sorry for your loss.” She enfolded her in a warm embrace. “Come with me.”
“Oh Dad,” Yankee Girl wailed as we stepped into Rick’s room. With no hesitation, she went to him, smoothed the thin white hair back from his forehead, kissed his brow. “I’m sorry I wasn’t with you.”
I stood back, not wanting to intrude on her grief. Pain balled at the back of my throat as I remembered the greatest man I’d ever known.
The man who was more of a father to me than my own sorry excuse for a dad.
The man who guided me after I’d taken the wrong path in life.
The man lying in a pool of blood with a knife in his chest.
All my fucking fault, and I’d carry the guilt for the rest of my miserable fucking days.
I gave myself a shake. Focus on Hayley. Don’t dwell on the past. I went up to her.
“Can you tell me what happened to cause this?” she asked Jenna, who’d been standing to one side.
“Given that he looks so peaceful, I think his heart might have stopped.” She stepped forward and touched her hand to Hayley’s. “We’ll know more after the autopsy.”
Yankee Girl kissed her dad again, her tears bathing his deathly pale cheeks. “I hope you’re with Mom,” she said, smoothing the sheet pulled up to his chin.
I put my arm around her, and she melded into my side. “Do you wanna go home now, sweetheart?” I inquired.
“You can return in the morning to complete the paperwork, if you like,” Jenna added.
“Thanks,” Hayley sighed.
I caught the nurse staring at me, and I shot her a quick look. If she asked for a selfie, I’d say, ‘no’. This wasn’t the time or the place.
She nodded, indicating she’d gotten the message. “I’ll see you tomorrow,” she said.
I stepped on the gas as we headed up to the Hills, and soon we were back at the house. Yankee Girl wrapped her arms around her petite body all the way, shutting down any attempt I made to start a conversation. She was so small and her circumstances so tragic that I felt an overwhelming desire to take care of her.
Bloody unexpected. Never felt like that about a woman before. Sobriety must have come with a personality transplant.
I turned and faced her after unlocking the front door. “Would you like a cup of hot cocoa before we go up to bed?”
I’d have liked to have offered her something stronger. Something to anaesthetize the pain.
She sniffed and wiped at her nose. “No thanks. I don’t think I could stomach it.”
I took in a deep breath. “Well, I guess it’s good night then.”
“Good night, Pierce. Thank you for driving me down to the home and for being there for me.” Her bottom lip trembled. “I appreciate it.”
“Hey,” I gazed into her amber-colored eyes. “I’m your mate. Remember I said I always help my mates?”
A sad smile brushed her lips. “Let’s go upstairs.”
I stopped outside my bedroom door and watched Yankee Girl make her way down the corridor. She turned and lifted her hand before going into her room.
The sudden urge for a drink took hold of me. If there’d been any alcohol in the house, I’d have succumbed. No doubt about it. What had gone down with Hayley’s dad had brought everything flooding back.
Police sirens screaming.
The wail of the ambulance.
Strong arms restraining me.
With a groan, I spun on my heel, entered my ensuite and cleaned my teeth. My face stared back at me in the mirror, eyes haunted. I wanted to forget. Needed to forget. Playing the guitar would distract me. Maybe. I returned to my room, picked up my Taylor Acoustic, sat on a chair by the window, and launched into a riff I’d written.I’m ugly on the inside
So bad you’ll wanna hide
And forget you ever knew me
It makes me wanna cry
That everybody dies
And Heaven is filled with has-beens.I got to the end of the song not feeling any better. My drum kit was down in the basement music room. I wouldn’t disturb Hayley if I thrashed the skins.
On impulse, I decided to listen outside her bedroom. Just to check she was okay. Which is what I did.
Heart wrenching sobs greeted me. Oh, shit. Poor, sweet baby. Without hesitating, I pushed open the door.
“Hayley?” I paced across the floor to her bed. “Are you okay?” Stupid question. Obviously, she wasn’t.
“I can’t sleep.” She sat up and switched on the nightstand light. “There are so many thoughts going round and round in my head.”
I gazed at her tearful face and my heart bled for her. The mattress dipped as I lowered myself and enfolded her in my arms. I kissed her forehead. “Do you want me to call Phoenix and Camila? They’re your besties, aren’t they?”
